Below are the answers to a few of the questions I quite frequently get asked. If you still have a question I’ve not covered here, please don’t hesitate to ask me.
How can you claim to be able to clean my wedding dress when my dry cleaner has refused?
I use completely different cleaning methods to any dry cleaner. In fact, I use no dry cleaning chemicals or methods whatsoever.
Because dry cleaners are limited to using solvents to clean fabrics, they simply cannot get every stain out of the delicate fabrics in the same way as gentle spot cleaning and hand-washing can.
Do you use washing machines?
Absolutely not! While some dry cleaners have been known to resort to simply washing wedding dresses in the washing machine, I honestly don’t believe that is a safe place for your wedding dress to be.
Not only do you risk tears to the delicate fabrics, there’s also a chance that the beading and embellishments could become loose or fall off completely.
In addition, it would be highly unlikely that a washing machine would remove all of the ground-in stains from your dress, even if it didn’t damage it. My unique hand-washing process truly is the best way to achieve optimum results!
Can you guarantee to get every stain out?
No dress cleaner can ever guarantee to get every stain out, no matter what method they use. What I can guarantee is that I will go through your dress with a fine tooth-comb (literally!) and do my absolute best to remove as many stains as physically possible. This usually involves cleaning your dress multiple times, which is very time-consuming, but the results are certainly worth the extra effort!
Unlike a dry cleaner, I specialise in cleaning wedding dresses only – and I devote my full time and attention to each gown in my care to get it as close as possible to its original condition. Of course, I can never guarantee it will be in exactly the same condition again, but I will try my very hardest to get the results you hope for.
Is my dress too dirty to clean?
You’d be surprised just how dirty a dress can be, and still be cleanable with my methods. Even dresses with trains which are ‘caked in mud’ have been returned to brides in a condition where they could be sold on or worn again. I would say it’s very unlikely your dress is ‘too dirty to clean’. If you’re unsure though, please send me some details!
My dress is damaged, can you fix it?
Whilst I don’t repair dresses myself, I do have a couple of good seamstresses I’ve personally used in the past which I’m happy to recommend. Unfortunately, for insurance and practical reasons I will need to give your dress back to you after cleaning for you to take it for repairs in person.
How long will you have my dress for?
Quite often, dresses need to be cleaned multiple times. Often I can think I have removed all the stains from a dress while it’s still wet, only to spot parts I’ve missed once it has dried (and the drying process in itself can take some time on a dress with several layers). In addition, I also have to order in personalised tags for boxes and in some cases specific boxes for some brides. In addition to this, dependant on demand, there may be a few dresses ‘in the queue’ before yours.
Because of this, I usually keep a dress for between 6 – 8 weeks in total before returning it to you. Please don’t worry if you don’t hear from me within this timeframe – I’ve not forgotten you! There’s no need to email to check on progress, I will send your before and after photos as soon as your dress is ready to come home to you. I clean dresses in the order they arrive, and drying and re-cleaning missed parts can be time-consuming, so your patience is really appreciated with this process!
If you need your dress back sooner, I do offer an expedited option – but availability for this service does vary depending on current demand.
The cost for this is an additional £50 for a 2-week turnaround – but please check availability before committing to avoid disappointment.
Are you insured?
Yes, my business is fully insured.
How do I pay?
Payment can be made by cash, card or bank transfer. I carry a card reader with me and accept payment with all major credit and debit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. In addition, I can send an online invoice which can again be paid by credit or debit card.
Payment can be made either at the time of collection, or once your dress is ready to be returned to you, depending on your preference. In the vast majority of cases, most brides make payment once I return their dress to them.
How do I get started?
Simply drop me an email or complete the form here. The form tends to be better, as it gives me all the details I need to make a full quote.
I look forward to helping you!